This invention relates to a video camera with a monitor, comprising a solid state image pickup plate which is integral with a display unit.
In the past, for a video camera used with a video tape recorder (VTR), a two-dimensional solid state image pickup plate of a metal oxide semiconductor (MOS), a charge-coupled device (CCD), or a charge-injection device (CID), using a silicon semiconductor device, as well as a photoelectric conversion electron tube, such as a vidicon or Plumbicon, have been used. Such a video camera may include an optical system for observing an optical image of the scene or may be provided with a display unit called a video monitor used to display a bright and easy-visible image on a basis of electric signals obtained by a pickup tube. The latter, for example, uses a small-sized cathode ray tube (CRT) usually of about a 1.5 inch size. To make the video camera more compact, lightweight, and have a lower power consumption, the photoelectric converter tube has been replaced by a thin, small-sized, solid state image pickup plate. However, the video camera is still limited in its miniaturization and weight-reduction. Accordingly, it is also desirable for the display unit to be small-sized, lightweight, and have a lower power consumption and at present, a liquid crystal matrix TV display panel is being considered as a leading condidate for use in such a display unit.
At present, one typical liquid crystal TV display comprises a liquid crystal layer interposed between the metal oxide semiconductor-field-effect transistor (MOS-FET) switch and capacitor array and the transparent electrode, which has been proved to be effective for use in the matrix picture display.
Therefore, it is now technically possible that the use of the solid state image pickup plate employing silicon and a liquid crystal TV display panel comprising the silicon MOS-FET array and a liquid crystal layer can produce a video camera having a monitor yet is small-sized, lightweight and has a low power consumption. The largest problem, however, is the high manufacturing cost of the camera. Unfortunately, a low cost is strictly desired.